The oldest known living Piping Plover made her way back to the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (SBDNL) for the 16th time.
The Piping Plover named Gabby broke a tie with two 15-year-old males last year. Gabby is a frequent visitor to Sleeping Bear Point, and her band is a combination of OS GB XY.
“(Gabby) is back and is nesting,” SBDNL wildlife biologist Vince Cavalieri said. “We get periodic reports of (Gabby) in her winter grounds at another National Park Service site, Cumberland Islands National Seashore in Georgia. But this year, she had not been seen since late January, so we were afraid she had finally disappeared. But then it was actually the day we were doing our preseason meeting. One of our monitors spotted her out on the beach that day.”
As the weather continues to enter its summer dress, residents and visitors are venturing into the wilderness and will be asked to look out for Piping Plovers, ticks, and black bears.
Leelanau’s popular shorelineendangered bird, the Piping Plover, started early, with its first sighting on April 6, which tied for the earliest sighting.
“Our weather up here doesn’t necessarily impact the migration and timing for a bird that winters down south,” Cavalieri said.
The park has 28 pair so far this year, the same as last year. Last year, the final tally was 34; a few more will trickle in or be found this summer.
The team at SBDNL has made it to North Manitou Island and plans to survey South Manitou Island during the summer.
Cavelierri reports that piping plovers are staying in the traditional spot of Glen Haven.
Tess Kohler and Scott Mills are co-leads for the Piping Plover monitoring project.
Many birds reside in the Platte River area, just south of the county line.
The Piping Plover has been labeled endangered by the federal government since the 1990s.
The Piping Plover has recovered from roughly 12 pair in the nineties to 80 pairs as of 2023.
Bear sightings are on the rise Bears are out and about enjoying nature just like humans.
“We have had quite a few bear sightings in the park this year. They seem to be pretty widespread. We’ve got sightings all the way from Good Harbor all the way down to the south to Platte Point,” Cavalieri said. “Bears are active in the park, and it is always good to remind folks to guard their food and make noise while they are hiking.”
Cavalieri states that they aren’t used to getting a lot of sightings in the Good Harbor area.
SBDNL reports over 20 bear sightings within the park in the past month.
Cavalieri states that the park will be conducting a bear-hair snare study this year to better estimate the number of bears that frequent SBDNL.
“Up to this point, we don’t have a super firm understanding of that,” Cavalieri said.
Tick me crazy
SBDNL is preparing and hoping to receive a survey of ticks from the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Resources (MDARD).
“We actually might get some surveys done here, I’ve seen a lot (anecdotally). We’ve seen a lot in the park. They seem to be pretty prevalent this year, which makes sense. The ticks like more wet conditions,” Cavalieri said.
May is National Lyme Disease Awareness Month, a time to focus on protecting your health and staying informed about tickborne illness.
The Benzie-Leelanau District Health Department (BLDHD) is reminding residents that Lyme disease, caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, is the most common tick-borne illness in Michigan.
Ticks are most active in spring and summer, and living in a wooded, grassy, or brushy area increases your risk of exposure. Early detection and prevention are key to avoiding Lyme disease and other tick-borne infections.
Tick prevention tips include:
• Dress smart: Wear light-colored, long-sleeved shirts and pants to make ticks easier to spot.
• Use repellent: Apply EPAapproved insect repellents with DEET or permethrin.
• Tick Checks: After spending time outdoors, inspect yourself, children, and pets for ticks.
• Know the symptoms: Look out for a red, bullseye-shaped rash, fever, fatigue, and joint pain— early signs of Lyme disease.
